LaPorte County deputy hailed as life saving hero during traffic stop

On a week where we give thanks, a woman is thankful for a LaPorte County deputy who saved her life.

Shortly after 10:30 a.m. Tuesday, LaPorte County deputy Austin Wells clocked a vehicle going 70 miles per hour on U.S. 421 near I-94.

When he approached the car, he found the 65-year-old driver unable to speak; her face a reddish purple color with a bluish tint on her lips.

Wells pulled the driver out of the vehicle and started performing the Heimlich maneuver. It worked, as the woman was able to spit out a honey mustard nut that had been lodged in her throat.

The driver refused medical treatment from an ambulance that pulled up. Sheriff John Boyd praised Wells for his fast action to save her life.